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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28609962">come see what i’ve made of myself</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/uptillthree/pseuds/uptillthree'>uptillthree</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Penumbra Podcast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Gen, Invasion of Privacy, Manipulation, Spoilers for Juno Steel and What Lies Beyond Part 2, plotless character study, sasha sits with her conscience for a bit. then she tells it no, sasha “entire circus” wire, set right before 3.22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:53:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,593</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28609962</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/uptillthree/pseuds/uptillthree</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>(Spoilers up to Juno Steel and What Lies Beyond 2.)</p><p>14:13, ship time. Four hours since seizing the Carte Blanche. Sasha waits for Juno to wake. </p><p>His first words come in a derisive scoff. He rolls his shoulders and neck, tugs at the electronic handcuffs linking his wrists to Aurinko’s bolted-down desk and says, “C’mon. Really, Wire?”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Juno Steel &amp; Sasha Wire</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>come see what i’ve made of myself</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i wish this were more creative and in-depth but really i dont even know if this is accurate or in character, this is just a small rambly thing that happened because i thought about the episode too much and started wondering what the fuck went on in the 5 hour gap between wlb 1 and 2. also <i>where is the journal did they take it off him does juno still have it did it still have peters name</i></p><p>warnings for slight offscreen police brutality (no more than in canon) and sasha generally being an asshole</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>14:13, ship time. Four hours since seizing the Carte Blanche. Sasha waits for Juno to wake. </p><p>Her once best friend is slouched in Buddy Aurinko’s office chair, and the blaster stun’s finally wearing off. He groans, face scrunching together as he blinks awake.</p><p>His first words come in a derisive scoff. He rolls his shoulders and neck, tugs at the electronic handcuffs linking his wrists to Aurinko’s bolted-down desk, and says, “C’mon. <em> Really, </em> Wire?”</p><p>Sasha’s not there, of course. Two agents are there, guarding him and providing Sasha access to a video feed and speaker. </p><p><em> I need to be there in a few minutes, </em> Sasha notes absently. Left to his own devices and without a deal to uphold, Juno will almost certainly attempt to escape, even if it means having to fight two-on-one and then facing the rest of the agents outside blind. Reckless. Though Dark Matters agents are trained extensively in situations like this, Sasha won’t underestimate Juno’s sheer bloody-mindedness. Even Ilkay’s already tried it twice. </p><p>There’s a few moments of silence. Sasha can see Juno sizing it all up in that quick, split-second way he has: the stoic agents; the room he’s in; the only possible exit; the lack of his blaster versus how heavily the agents are armed; the amount of time that has elapsed since Sasha shot him. Then he tugs at the handcuffs again, a loud, deliberate movement. </p><p>“Real nice accommodations, this,” he says casually, a weak piece of bait. Testing. The agents don’t react at all, as per her orders; she wants to deal with Juno himself.</p><p>She can sense Juno’s wariness: He’s skilled in evading interrogation, in keeping his head in captivity, even regaining control—but with Dark Matters even he knows to watch his step. </p><p>“And in Buddy’s office, too. What, am I the current guest of honor? Have the others had their turn?”</p><p><em> Buddy. </em> The name is said in a tone as familiar and comfortable as <em> Sasha—you scared the hell out of me, Wire! </em>Well, it’s not like she expected any different. She knew going in that Juno Steel had cooperated happily in every heist, had joined Aurinko’s crew of his own volition, and had even attended Aurinko’s wedding. And yet—</p><p>A muffled noise comes from outside. Juno’s face darkens on her small screen. </p><p>“Then again,” he mutters, eye flicking to the door, “Maybe not all that hospitable after all.”</p><p>From where Juno is stationed on the ship, Sasha surmises he hears little more than a faint voice in the distance. From where Sasha is standing, in what she believes to be Juno’s personal quarters, she can hear it much more clearly. </p><p>It’s Aurinko in the medbay nearby, her rapid-fire talk rising to a shout, broken up by a shocked cry of pain. Predictably, Ilkay reacts as well, raging at her guards with a furious scream. </p><p>She’ll deal with the cause of that later. Of all the detained suspects, Aurinko and Ilkay have been the most troublesome by far.</p><p>Privately, she sends a message to the rest of the agents stationed to guard: <em> Keep the other suspects quiet. It’s paramount that Steel believes this negotiation can pass peacefully and bloodlessly so long as he cooperates.  </em></p><p>The other rooms have already been searched, yielding poor results, and Juno’s is much of the same. This room has already been marked clear by a cadet, which means—well. Which means Sasha has no real reason to be here. </p><p>Juno’s room seems fairly standard. The same not-quite-mess she’s used to seeing from him, the same space for his comms and blaster on the nightstand, within easy reach. There’s a few scattered doodles which Sasha’s almost certain weren’t by Juno’s hand. What she’s more surprised by are the slightly fancier clothes mixed in with Juno’s usual wear in the closet—courtesy of Aurinko, no doubt—and a few shirts that wouldn’t fit Juno, but would certainly fit their missing suspect, if their information is right. </p><p>“Where’s my family?” Juno is saying, and Sasha’s not sure what to think of that word, or the protective note in his voice. “And what’s happening to them? You know, if Director W. thinks she can just ignore me and I’ll just give up without getting any answers, that’s kind of sad. You know me better than that, right, Sasha?” At her name, Sasha stiffens as though he’s seen her. But Juno would realize immediately, of course, that she’s listening. </p><p><em> I’m banking on your desperate stubbornness, actually, </em>Sasha thinks. <em>And your tendency to snap when you run out of options.</em></p><p>It’s as unnerving as it is reassuring, to hear the simple, righteous anger in Juno’s voice, as though he isn’t a wanted criminal, as though this isn’t <em>Dark Matters</em> custody. There might have been a time when Sasha would have shared it, would have matched his tone in a situation like this, but that was years and years ago, before she’d even become Subdirector, before the hard choices.</p><p>She makes one last circle around Juno’s room. They found nothing on Juno except for his blaster, his comms (unlocked; full of mainly irrelevant messages), and a journal (blank except for six questions Sasha still hasn’t made sense of). It’s to be expected; even in Oldtown Juno kept most things close to his chest, outwardly impersonal to the untrained eye. </p><p>She has no real reason to be here. She’d be better off looking in Aurinko’s room or office, if she wanted information. But no, she has to admit she wasn’t really here for that, either. </p><p>No, she’s just needed to convince herself, once and for all, that Juno has well and truly thrown his lot in with these people. Has lived with them for a year, even, has gotten <em> comfortable— </em> comfortable enough to leave empty coffee mugs on his side table, to call them family, to let one of them into his bed. Has never expected, probably, that he would be betrayed in this way. </p><p>She knows Juno. The only reason he would do anything like this was if he believed it was right. He’s infuriatingly naive, sometimes. </p><p><em> You really did this, </em> she thinks. <em> You complete idiot. I didn’t want to do this.  </em></p><p>“Say, is this it, Sasha?” Juno continues, voice still carefully even, but Sasha knows that he’s impatient by now. “You think you can keep <em> all </em> of us quiet and obedient in our places—on our own ship, no less—until we reach the nearest Dark Matters compound? <em> That’s </em>the plan?”</p><p>It’s the closest thing to a threat he’s said so far, and it makes the agents sharpen their attention on him. Idiot. </p><p>“Oh, hey, I wasn’t trying to imply anything,” he adds, almost like an afterthought. He throws his still-bound hands up, palms open.  “Just, as an observation—kind of sloppy, isn’t it? We’re all just gonna <em> sit </em> here, Sash? No further questions, no <em> catch-up?” </em> </p><p>Cocky little shit. Sasha sees that for what it is—a transparent line of questioning, an open provocation: <em> are we gonna get this over with or what?</em></p><p>Fine. <em>You’ve made your choice. </em>She leaves Juno’s room and begins walking back to the office. </p><p>“Damn,” Juno says when he still gets no response, voice lacking the bite it had before. “And here I was just thinking I missed you.” </p><p><em> That’s a lie, </em> Sasha thinks, <em> and a crueler one than I might’ve expected. </em> </p><p>She passes Rita in her makeshift cell, who is complaining about something or other; Ilkay, who is spewing threats at the agent assigned to her; Siquliak, who is apparently just staring sullenly, to the unease of his agent. </p><p>Juno sits back in his chair. “Last chance, Sasha, you know I haven’t deliberately started causing trouble yet.”</p><p>There’s her cue. She enters the office. </p><p>Juno raises an eyebrow. “Huh. Didn’t think that would work.”</p><p>“Juno.” Her voice gives nothing away. “I assume you were nagging my agents to let you talk to me for a reason.”</p><p>They stare at each other for a moment, measuring. </p><p>It had been like this from the start, Sasha remembers: Juno and Sasha, sizing each other up on the narrow red streets of Oldtown, furiously trying to one-up the other, rivals in everything from classes to trick shots to who could pick the most pockets in one afternoon. Annie had cheered her on and Ben had laughed at Juno’s expense and Mick had flitted nervously between them. And then when she’d fallen into trouble Juno had gotten in one of the stupidest, scrappiest back alley Oldtown fights to pull her out of it, and they’d been inseparable since. </p><p>Somewhere along the line that had changed, somehow. </p><p><em>Goddamnit, Juno, I don’t want to do this.</em> She lets the thought take her by the throat, and then she lets it pass.</p><p>Now, Juno flicks his gaze to the two agents, and Sasha nods. </p><p>“Leave us. And you can uncuff him,” Sasha says. “Agent M, stand guard outside.”</p><p>“Director—”</p><p>“Yes, I’m sure, and I’ll thank you not to question my orders, Agent.”</p><p>So Juno is freed of his restraints, her agents exit, the door locks, and it’s just the two of them. Sasha sits down opposite him and meets her best friend eye to eye. </p><p>For half a second, Sasha misses Mick so much it’s a physical ache. She and Juno had never gotten along so well as when Mick was there, though the last time it had happened, that hadn’t quite worked, either. </p><p>“So,” Juno Steel says, tone easy, a sharp look on his face.  “Director W, huh.”</p><p>And then the game begins.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tysm for reading my silly liddle sasha wire thoughts tell me if u had fun </p><p><a href="https://www.twitter.com/untilwefell">twitter</a> and <a href="https://julesdap.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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